August Comte has given another important theory is Hierarchy of The Sciences.

It is connected with the

law of three stages. In fact, hierarchy of the sciences, are based on the notion that each subject has
evolved-from a general, simple to a highly complex level. In this regard, Comte states, “Any kind of
knowledge reaches the positive stage early in proportion to its generality, simplicity, and independence
of other departments.”’ According to this view, hierarchy of sciences represent the evolution of sciences
from mathematics to sociology, i.e., mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, and biology and finally
the positive science of society, which is called sociology Hence, astronomy, the most general and simple
of all natural sciences, develops first and is followed by physics, chemistry biology, and finally, sociology.

“Each science in this series depends for its emergence on the prior developments of its predecessors in a
hierarchy marked by the law of increasing complexity and decreasing Generality”.

Comte, main aim to put forward his theory of hierarchy of is not only to demonstrate the need for
creating sociology so to provide a foundation for the sociological concept of historical unity. Therefore,
Comte began his analysis of hierarchy of sciences by explaining two key concept y explaining two key
concepts: analytic and synthetic Comte, the science of inorganic nature, physics and chemistry, alias in
the sense that they establish laws among isolated phenomena”.

On the other hand, Biology is considered as synthetic rather than analytic: In fact, biology explains an
organ or a function of the living creatures. “It is within and in relation to the whole organism that a
particular biological act assumes its meaning and finds its explanation”. The methodological approach of
Biological science therefore prepares the foundation of social Sciences, therefore, especially sociology.

In fact, the social sciences are considered as more complex and dependent for their emergence on the
development of all the other disciplines of sciences. Due to this fact, the social sciences and specially
sociology are the highest in the hierarchy, Comte states: “Social Science offers the attributes of a
completion of the positive method. All the others … are preparatory to it. Here alone can the general
sense of natural law be decisively developed, by eliminating forever arbitrary wills and chimerical
entities, in the most difficult case of all”.

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Therefore, Social Science “enjoys all the resources of the anterior sciences.” But, so far as sociology is
concerned, it is “the gradual and continuous influence of generations upon each other.” Sociology is
different from its predecessors in the hierarchy. It is because of its special methodological orientation.
But sociology stands nearer to and dependent on biology, Sociology has various Elements in common
with biology, and both give emphasis on organic or organism unity. Add to it, biology cannot explain an
organ or a function apart from the organism as a whole, sociology also cannot explain social phenomena
without reference to the total Social context. Here, the idea of organic unity refers to the primacy the
system over element, that is, it should be taken as a whole rather than any particular element. Thus,
Comte established a discipline of sociology on the basis of making synthesis of the other sciences. In this
sense, sociology is the product of both objective and subjective synthesis of the sciences.

Comte states: “For there to be a synthesis, one must consider objectively the hierarchy of being
Ascending to the human species and one must consider subjectively the knowledge that has a relation
to man.” Therefore, sociologist Synthesises the findings of the sciences at the both objective as well as
subjective levels to achieve unity in relation to mankind.

Another fact, according to Comte, Sociology is the science of Human mind. “Man understands the
human mind only on Condition that he observes its activity and its productions Throughout history and
in society.” The science of the human mind, in true sense, is known as the sociology of knowledge and is
based on the observation analysis, and comprehension of the capacities of human mind. The true
science of human mind is developed through their production in the various stages of history. In this
regard, “The mind is social; it is historical: the mind of each age, the mind of each thinker, is caught in a
social context”. Sociology, therefore, has emerged as the most complex science and arose much later
than the other sciences.

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As a result, sociology studies more complex subjects than other science. In this sense, the object of
study of the other disciplines was relatively simpler than sociology. Comte accepted sociology as the
“crowing edifice” of the hierarchy of sciences in which he had in mind the general unifying nature of
science. He was, in fact, not claiming any superior status for sociology. He recognized the need to bring
all sciences into relationship to each other with the help of positive knowledge. In brief, the basic points
of hierarchy of the sciences can be outlined as follows:

(1) All sciences are interdependent and interrelated to each other;

 (2) The hierarchical arrangement of the sciences is based on Their historical emergence
and development;

(3) Based on their decreasing order of generality and the increasing degree of complexity of their
subject matter;

(4) The increasing degree of modification of the facts to study, and

(5) The increasing nature of positive knowledge in terms of Positive methods or scientific methods
from astronomy to sociology.

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